Swimming with Whales: A Magical Experience in Dominica! Part 1.

Dominica is the only country in the world where the sperm whale resides all year long. Photo credit Aimee Jan.

Dominica's sheer underwater drop-offs create deep sheltered bays along its western coastline – the perfect haven for the Sperm Whale to breed and calve.

Dominica is the only country in the world where the sperm whale resides all year long, although sightings are most common between November and March. Just a short boat ride brings you into contact with the world's largest-toothed animal in the calm turquoise Caribbean Sea.

Aimee Jan, renowned underwater photographer and "whale shark whisperer".

Aimee Jan, renowned underwater photographer, 2021 Oceanographic Photographer of the Year, and "whale shark whisperer," has been coming to Dominica for the last couple of years as an expedition leader for groups of tourists coming to swim with the whales through Just The Wild Expeditions. As these "swimmers" usually stay at Hotel The Champs, we are already familiar with Aimee, but this time we took the opportunity to learn more about her, her love for the ocean and wildlife, and swimming with sperm whales in Dominica.

"I remember being obsessed with whales".

Hotel The Champs (HTC): First of all, Aimee, tell us about yourself.

Aimee Jan (AJ): Well, I grew up in New Zealand and moved to Australia about 18 years ago, where I started surfing and diving. Five years after moving to the Gold Coast, I moved to Exmouth Delloitte near the Ningaloo Reef, where I started working on the whale shark boats as a guide. I did that for 3 years, then I started taking photos. I spend most of my time swimming with sea life.

HTC: Where did your love for the ocean and whales begin?

AJ: I grew up in a house that looked out at the ocean. So, I think that I have always felt that connection. I started swimming when I was three years old and just always felt really comfortable in the ocean. I remember being obsessed with whales at one point when I was about ten years old, and some love for whales was influenced by watching Sir David Attenborough’s ‘Wolves of the Sea’ documentary at a young age too.

Aimee's winning photo, 2021 Oceanographic Photographer of the Year.

HTC: We absolutely love the photograph that won you the 2021 Oceanographic Photographer of the Year award. How did it come about? Tell us a bit more about the background story.

AJ: We were out snorkeling over the back of the reef, a spot that we only get to dive a few times a season, as we can only reach it if there’s no wind or swell. My friend called me over because she had found a turtle under a ledge behind a school of glass fish. When I dived down and started to get closer, the glass fish all separated and framed the turtle perfectly.

"I got PADI certified when I was 20 years old, but now I just free dive mostly."

HTC: What was your very first experience with whales, and what is a very memorable encounter you will remember forever?

AJ: So the first experience like that was at home, there were killer whales out front of Mom and Dad's house. So, that was exciting, and I have never seen them out there again.

And then my first season on the whale shark boat was just very overwhelming because we were swimming with whale sharks, which were like the main thing - they are sharks, obviously, so they are really cool, but they don't quite have that mammal feature. We used to just get random humpbacks swimming through, so we would always pray that when we are with a whale shark, a humpback might come through. That year, we saw humpbacks and killer whales from the boat, which was pre-baiting on humpback calves, and it was just very overwhelming. I was just screaming every day and was just thinking, "How is this reality?!".

Females carry their young for 14 to 16 months, giving birth every three to five years. Newborn calves are 13 feet long and weigh about a ton. These calves nurse for two years but may continue nursing with their mother intermittently for up to eight years. Photo credit Aimee Jan

But honestly, we had a very memorable day today as well. So there haven't been that many sperm whales around, and we had a couple of quiet days, and today the whales were a little bit skittish, but then near the end, these three calves started swimming together, and they took a little bit more interest in us and they were like socializing - swimming away and coming back to us, following us. Everyone in the group was just amazed, and having that feeling was just the best.

Sperm whales receive their common name for the massive spermaceti organ located in the forehead region. This organ can hold up to 1,900 liters (500 gal.) of wax-like oil. Photo credit Aimee Jan

HTC: When was the first time you came to Dominica?

AJ: It has always been a dream of mine to swim with sperm whales, and as Dominica is the best place for tha,t I came to Dominica in 2018 as a guest booked with Just The Wild. After I met Caine, the owner, he asked me if I wanted to come back, and I said, "Yes, of course I do!".

Make sure to follow Hotel The Champs's lifestyle blog next week and get first-hand information from experienced diver, Aimee, on what to expect when you swim with sperm whales in Dominica.